The Money Man Behind Rick Santorum: Who Is Foster S. Friess?
Savings Experiment: Snow RemovalYes it's true -- just like you and me, the writers want more money, and since they did not get it they are walking out. Actually having some keen familiarity with Hollywood, I would find it hard to believe that after not striking since 1988, writers could actually come to any agreement with producers without one now.
First of all, the world is changing rapidly and whatever agreements they settled on in the past is most assuredly not attuned to the media landscape of today. The writers feel they negotiated a borderline contract before, and do not want to give up any revenue opportunities now.
Producers have made more money from the internet and DVD sales than they have in the past, but they have seen weaker box office attendance and are getting burned badly by DVD pirates burning cheap discs for sale at great discount to the legitimate copies.
The last time there was a strike, we are told the industry lost $500 million. I have no way of verifying the legitimacy of that figure because in Hollywood (as those in the know can attest), the most creative talent is found in the accounting department, not on the screen.
While the writers are on strike, be prepared for a lot more reruns on television, or a lot more reality TV. Perhaps they could make a show within a show, like a reality TV show about the writers' strike. It would be kind of self-referential, and of course it would have to be some type of mock news format. Otherwise the striking writers would be producing content for free while they were on strike. Scabs holding picket signs, hmm?
It had to come to this because the only real issue is money. Without testing how much real pain each side can take, no compromise can be reached. The writers and producers could not agree on a compromise because neither side felt they could be happy with what the other was proposing. What they all will learn is they have a misunderstanding of the word compromise. It's not about anyone being happy...it's about finding a number that makes both sides equally unhappy -- and it will be on that day the strike will end.
DISCLOSURE: I own shares of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) an entertainment and multimedia company.
If you are interested in making money, perhaps you might find potential opportunities reading Chasing Value or Serious Money.
Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-05-2007 @ 4:25PM
Curtis Macdonald said...
WGA DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION SOLUTION
Every digital file has a Meta File embedded into the file. (Digital Fingerprint)
In this Meta File you would have your name associated with an ID number.
Your ID number would be recorded each time the file or Program is Streamed, Downloaded, or an Impression is placed allowing a database to accurately count the number of hits and tabulating your total.
Every WGA, DGA, SAG, AFTRA, BMI, ASCAP member would have an ID associated to a program and would get paid for each hit. (Imagine when all union and associations including craft services will want an ID in the Meta File to get performance residuals. Lowered up front costs and a gamble on the back-end)
You would get paid in Micro-Cents, 5 hits = 1 cent, or 20 hits = 1 cent.
Establish this as the standardized digital embedded working model and you can negotiate a larger sum as time goes on. (Or make an impact and ask for $1.00 a hit!) © 2007 www.myspace.com/curtismacdonald
11-06-2007 @ 1:13AM
nvtv915 said...
How about hiring some NEW writers and dump the writers who can only write blood and guts in cop tv shows. The really big deal for a writer must be to get the producer turned on to sex. All the AMERICAN TV shows are sex and violence. sooo boring lately..